Description

William burn, 1819-21, 2-storey 9-bay classical mansion with raised basement, addition of wing at right angles to E, 1896, and 2-storey wing to W, 1915 forming open courtyard to N; interior alterations, 1976. 1819-21 MANSION: droved sandstone squared and coursed, with polished ashlar dressings; base course; eaves cornice and blocking course.

S ELEVATION: bays grouped 3-3-3; basement windows segmentally arched, corniced architraved windows to principal floor with apron panels. Pedimented full-height Ionic portico to centre bays with ashlar steps oversailing basement; broad corniced doorway at centre, 2-leaf doors; windows flanking and to each bay at 1st floor; door flanked by windows under steps, currently blocked. Regular windows to each floor in 3 bays flanking centre. Cast-iron arrowhead railings to steps.

N ELEVATION: 8-bay with arrow-slit windows flanking 4 advanced centre bays. Door with small-pane fanlight to outer right of 4 centre bays; narrow 2-storey addition to left of advanced bays and basement lean-to with doorway to outer left; regular fenestration to remaining bays at each floor.

E WING: 1896. 3-bays to N and S elevations, 8 near-regular bays to E and 7 to W; adjoined to NW corner of original mansion, at right angles, and with later single storey flat-roofed in-fill in re-entrant to S. Further later, 2-storey addtion to N end. Fire escape stair to

W elevation to N.

W WING: 1915. Contrasting sandstone rubble to S, N and E, brick to W. L-plan (less than 90 degrees) 2-storey wing adjoined to W end of original mansion with flat-roofed addition in re-entrant angle. Later additions adjoined. Irregular fenstration; tall narrow workshop windows to S at ground; tripartite windows to chapel at 1st floor to W; round arched window to chapel chancel in N gablehead, with cross finial. Tall Machinery doors in N elevation of re-entrant addition.

12-pane glazing predominating in sash and case windows; some 4-pane to W wing, and top-hoppers. Grey slates; piended roof to mansion; leaded pediment. Ridge ventilators to W wing. Coped ashlar stacks to mansion; wallhead stacks to E wing.

INTERIOR: Burn work largely altered for purposes of institution; round arched recesses to hall; square plan stairwell with scale and platt stairs; simple wrought-iron railings. Chapel, 1918; simple decoration to galleries, 3-aisle chapel; painted walls; plasterwork Stations of the Cross; rendered open ceiling; stained glass chancel window.

GATES AND GATEPIERS: probably 20th century; sited to SW. Corniced ashlar panelled gatepiers with moulded necks. 3-leaf wrought-iron gates.

Statement of Interest

Built as Stiell's Hospital, funded by an endowment from George Stiell, blacksmith and builder of Edinburgh, "for the aliment, clothing, and educating of poor children for ever". The cost was $3,000, and the site was close to the marshy Prestonpans battle ground. The east wing, 1896, also cost $3,000, providing additional dormitory accommodation. The west wing (originally including Assembly Hall, dormitories and chapel) cost $6,500 in 1915. A cottage range to SW of the main block currently houses workshops. In 1966 2 cottage residences were added to the complex, and in 1974, 2 more.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17792814

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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